Numbering head



A. H. SMITH NUMBERING HEAD x Original Fileg June 16. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1N VENTOR aim v m BY W( ATTORNEY.

A. H. SMITH NUMBERING HEAD Original Filed June 16, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i ATTORNEYQ I Patented May 6, 1924.

UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

AMOS H. SMITH, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, nssienon 'IO AMER-10AM BANKNOTE COMPANY, or nnw YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

NUMBERING HEAD.

Application filed June 16, 1922, Serial No. 568,734. Renewed september fi, 1923.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, AMos E. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at the borough of Brooklyn, in the city of New York, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Numbering Heads, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, which form a partthereof.

My invention relates to numbering heads, and more particularly to a type of numbering head which is positively actuated, wherein the transfer mechanism between the respective digit wheels is so constructed as to ensure the timely progressive actuation of digit wheels of higher denomination.

A. numbering head embodying my invention is so constructed as to be actuated by means independent of the impression cylinder of a numbering machine with which the head is used, the actuating mechanism being operative upon the units wheel in a manner to impart rotation thereto as a result of engagement of the actuating member with a striker member. The actuating member has an oscillatory movement, thus avoiding any possibility of overruning of the units digit wheel, or any wheel of higher denomination. The necessity of providing in the head, any springs which are relied upon to effect the turning of the digit wheels, is also avoided, thus reducing to a minimum likelihood of the head becoming inoperative as a result of the breakage of such springs. This condition is desirable, since when spring actuated numbering heads are employed, the resistance encounteredby the spring in setting the head becomes progressively greater with a continued run of the head.

A numbering head embodying my invention is so constructed that the various parts thereof may have sufficient material therein to minimize wear, the relation of the various parts being such as to permit the digit wheels to be set closely, together. and to be acted upon by a: detent pawl operating in a man ner to permit free rotation of the various digit wheels while preventing a partial acci dental turning of any wheel sufficient to result in a skipping of the numbers or a loss in alinement.

In a numbering head embodying my invention, I provide a special actuating mechanism by means ofwh'ich the rotative move ment of the units digit wheel may be secured without absolute precision work in parts of the head, slight lost motion or loosen essfrom wear being permissible by reason of the manner of'combining and constructing the various parts, without any lossin' the accuracy in the functioning of the head.

The transfer mechanism forming a part of the head is so constructed and arranged that there can be no multiplication of slight error, thus permitting a long run of ahead without any material. deviation from the original alinement of the printing characteristics upon the various digit wheels.

The invention consists primarily in a numbering head embodying therein a. sequence of digit wheels each having a plurality of gear teeth'thereon, the top of each of said teeth being formed as a printing surface,

said ,wheels being independently rotatable about a common axis, and means for progressively actuating said'digit wheels comprising a sequence of transfer wheels each independently mounted to rotate about an axis counter to that of said digit wheels, one

transfer wheel being associated with each digit wheel, and each transfer wheel having gear teeth thereon adapted to co-operate with the gear teeth upon the digit wheel with which it is associated, and having one of the teethlaterally extended to engage the teeth ofa digit wheel of next higher denomination, a ratchet wheel carried by the units digit wheel, a'spring-pressed pawl co-operating with 'said ratchet wheel, an oscillatory member adapted to be engaged by a striker member, and operative connections between said oscillatory'member and said pawl; and in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as are hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed outin the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a .plan view of a numbering head embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 3 's an end view from the right of Fig. 1; and I Fig. 4' is'asection on the line 4;t of Fig. 1.. I

Like numerals refer to like out .the several views.

' In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, the main frame of'the maparts throughtil) chine is shown at 10, said framebeing provided with a fixed shaft 11 upon which are idly mounted in close juxtaposition, a sequence of independently rotatable digit wheels 12, 13, 1 1, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19, each of which is identical in construction so as to require a detailed description of but one of these wheels, as the units wheel 12. Said units wheel, however, differs from the other Wheels in the respect that a part of the main actuating means for the numbering head is carried thereby. Said digit wheel has, about the periphery thereof, a sequence of ten long gear teeth 20, the top of each of said teeth being formed as a printing surface 21, said printing surfaces having successively the digits 0 to 9 thereon, in cameo type.

Upon one side of the digit wheel is a detent and alining wheel 22 having a sequence of triangular notches therein inclicated at 23. Associated with each of said wheels 22 is a detent and alinement pawl 24 having a wedge-shaped tooth 25 conforming in contour with the notches 23 so that said pawl in addition to holding its digit wheel against rotation, will have a wedging and centering action thereon which will assure a proper alinement of the various printing characters thereon with the char acters upon adjacent digit wheels, even though there is an absenceof precise accuracy in the actuating mechanism. This alinement, as will more fully appear hereinafter, is assisted by the construction of transfer mechanism used.

The various pawls 24: are idly mounted upon a shaft 26 extending transversely of the head, said pawls respectively being provided with a projecting heel 27 acted upon by a suitable spring 28, this spring in the form of the invention shown being a coiled.

spring positioned in a spring cup 29 formed in the frame 10 of the machine.

Each of the digit wheels 13 to 19 contains teeth similar to the teeth 20 of the wheel 12 and each have similar printing surfaces 21 thereon. Each of said digit wheels also can ries a detent and alining notched wheel 22 with its spaced notches 23 corresponding in number with the teeth 20, and coacting with a detent and alinement pawl similar to the pawl 24:.

It will be observed from the foregoing that each of the digit wheels 12 to 19 has rotary movement about a common axis and that said wheels are progressively-actuated from a single main actuating mechanism through the medium of a transfer mechanism deriving its power from the main actuating means which operates only upon the units digit wheel. lVhile I have referred to the power being applied to the units digit wheel it must be borne in mind, that in all with a progressively increasing total or with a progressively decreasing total, according to the arrangement of the numbers upon the digit wheels.

Also carried by the frame 10 is a shaft 30 counter to the shaft 11, which shaft has idly mounted thereon a sequence of transfer wheels 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 and 37 associated and co-operating with the digit wheels 12 to 19 respectively. Each of the transfer wheels 31 to 37 is identical in construction and arrangement of parts with every other, with the exception that by reason of the greater wear upon the wheel 31, this wheel is made of heavier construction.

Each of the transfer wheels 31 to 37 is provided with a'sequence of teeth corresponding in number, and adapted to co-operate with the gear teeth 20 upon the digit wheel with which it is associated and from which it derives its power, these teeth being so formed as to prevent rubbing contact between the printing surface upon its digit wheel and the bottom of the recess between the succeeding teethupon the transferwheel.

Each of the wheels 31 to .37 has nine narrow teeth, the tenth tooth being relatively wider so as to be adapted to engage the gear tooth upon the wheel of next higher denomination. actuation of the successive digit wheels is assured and continuous engagement of each transfer wheel with its associated digit wheel is assured.

Idly mounted upon the-shaft 11 is a forked swing frame 38 having pivoted therein a pawl 39 acted upon by a spring 4.0, said pawl being adapted to co-operate with a ratchet wheel 11 having ten teeth carried by the units digit wheel 12 and rotating therewith.

Also idly mounted upon said shaft 11 outdigit wheels, and being at all times subject to uniform stresses of a character which will minimize likelihood of breakage of the spring. The oscillatory member or arm 42 is operatively connected with the pawl 39 through the medium of said swing frame 38 and a stud 45 carried by said arm 42 and passing through a segmental slot 46 in the side of the main frame 10 and entering a fork of said swing arm.

The various transfer wheels are so set with relation to their respective digit wheels, that the long tooth thereof will 0pe-ratively engage or mesh with the teeth of In this manner progressive pose of setting the head,so long as in so setting the head a digit 9 is not brought into and moved out of theprinting position so as to actuate the transfer mechanism operative upon the next wheel. If itbe desired to setall the digit wheels at 0, this is accomplished by setting all of the wheels with the digit 9 in the printing position and then actuating the units digit wheel, thus simultaneously moving all of the wheels one-tenth of a revolution. I Y e 7 All of thedigit wheels, excepting the units digit wheel, may be turned in either direction when setting thehead.

When the head has once been set, the various digit wheels 13 to 19 will be progressivelv actuated either with ascending or descending totals, according to how the digits are arranged upon the various wheels.

The actuating .power is applied directly to the units wheel 12, the transfer wheel '31 turning with the wheel 12', the long tooth of said transfer wheel engaging a tooth 20 of the digit wheel 13 each time the digit 9 of the units wheel 12 comesto the printing position, so that upon the next actuation of the units wheel, the tens wheel 13 will receive one-tenth of a revolution before the long tooth of the transfer wheel 31 passes out of mesh withthe tooth 20 of the digit Wheel 13. This operation of transfer is carriedon progressively with each of the digit wheels 13 to 19 and transfer wheels 32 to 37.

Numbering heads of the type to which my inventionrelates, are mounted upon a numbering machine, the ordinary arrangement being to usethem in spaced groups, This numbering machine is provided with striker members adapted to engage the roller 43 carried by the arm 42 of the various heads at least once duringeach revolution of the cylinder carrying the numbering heads, the resultof the engagement being the oscillation of the arm 42, whichthroughthe stud to engaging the forks of the swingframe 33, will rock said swing frame,thus causing a one-tenth revolutionof the units digit wheel through the pawl 39 andthe ratchet wheel 41, which latter is carried by the units wheel.

In this manner the actual turning power wheel.

is appliedidirectly'to the units \Vl1(l,'tl18 torsion spring at being providedi nerelyfor the purpose of returning the arm 41-2and the swing, frame 38 to their-normal position after the head has'p'assed thestrilrer member.

IBy employing the notched 'whee'l22, and the triangular head upon the alining and detent pawl 24, said pawl will be caused to ride out of engagement with the notch 23 to permit the turning of the units digit wheel and will engage the succeeding notch 23in the wheel 22 as the digit wheel is fappr'o'achingthe limit'of its turning movement under the control. of the swing frame 38 and pawl 39. If the feeding movement underthe control of the pawl 39 is not exactly one-tenth of the circumference-of the digit wheel, or

36 ,in arc, this pawl 24 will either advance or return. the digit wheel sufficiently to always ensure the exact positioning of the prlnting surface 21 upon the top of any tooth 20. V This condition is possible since this pawl 24: isthe only mechanism'acting upon each digit wheel which places any limitation upon the free turning movement of the whee 1 By reason of the above condition there can be noiaccumulation of error'throughout the sequence of digit wheels 12 ,to.19, and a necessity for any great nicety in the production of the main actuating mean's and the transfer; wheels is avoided since if there be any error in these parts it will be.cor

.rected by the pawl 24 and the notched wheel 22 associated with and carried by each digit wheelimmediately following the actuation 'of that digit wheel.

The transfer wheels 31 to 37 asso iated with the digit wheels 12 to 19respectively turn with their respective digit; wheels, but a have no operative effect until the digit 9 of the digit wheel applying power to the-transfer wheel, is in the printing position, the next HCJQHZLUOH of said digit wheel, however,

causing the wheel of next higherdenomination to be actuated through the transfer I Exceptfor the transfer mechanism, each digit wheel functionsentirely independently of every other digit wheel, lilrelihood'jof an accidental actuation of a wheel of higher de nomination by a wheel of lower denom nation because of the accumulation of ink between said wheels, being practically impossible, s nce the power required to disengage transfer wheels 31 to 37 as indicated more particul'arly in Fig. a of the drawings, will prevent any such rubb ng contact between the printing surfaces 21. and the transfer wheels as might'interfere with'a' proper inking of said printing surfaces, although ordinarily said surfaces will be inked after the digitwheels have been actuated.

Any wear on the forked frame 38, stud 45, roller 43, ratchet wheel 41 and pawl 39 will be compensated for by the pawl 24 and the wheel 22 since no amount of wear could occur in such parts as would so limitthe action of the units digit wheel to prevent the functioning of said pawl 24 when correcting any short or excess movement of the units wheel. Exactitude in the movement of the units wheel will ensure sufficient exactitude in the movement of all of the other digit wheels through the transfer wheels 31 to 37, to ensure the pawl 24 operative upon each of said other wheels accurately positioning said other wheels.

It will be observed that movement of the arm 42 of the main actuating mechanism of the numbering head, causes the turning of the units digit wheel when and as poweris applied to said arm by the co-operating striker member of the numbering head, so that said actuating means will always work under exactly the same conditions irrespective of the number of wheels which have to be turned with any actuation thereof; and that the actuation of the various digit wheels is not dependent in any way upon springs which are subject to breakage, particularly when a machine is running at high speed.

The torsion spring 44 need be of merely sufficient strength to move the load of the arm 42, roller 43, stud 45, swing frame 38 and pawl 39, which load upon said spring is constant so that breakage of the spring is so remote a contingency as to be no factor in the production of the numbering head.

It will be observed that each of the digit wheels 12 to 19 is normally restrained by the alining and detent pawl 24 co-operating therewith, which pawl in this respect acts as a locking member normally engaging its cooperating member carried by its digit wheel,

and movable out of the locking relation only as a result of movement of this member which is coincident with that of the wheel itself. The effectiveness of this locking means results from the fact that considerable movement against gradually increasing resistance is required to turn any wheel, and that this resistance is sufliciently great to require a positive application of power greater than the binding action of foreign substances which may enter between succeeding wheels.

It will also be noted that the swing frame 38 and its pawl 39 acts directly upon the ratchet wheel 41 carried by the units wheel, and that there is no possibility of a loss of alinement as a result of accumulated error since there are no gear trains, the various gears of which are constantly in mesh, and correction of any error is secured after each actuation of each wheel. In fact no two digit Wheels are operatively connected except during that interval when the long tooth of one of the transfer wheels 31 to 37 is actually operative in imparting movement to a wheel of next higher denomination, said Wheels being entirely independent one of the other at all other times.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the precise details of construction shown in the drawings, it being apparent that such may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is

A numbering head embodying therein a sequence of digit wheels each having a plurality of gear teeth thereon, the top of each of said teeth being formed as a printing surface, said wheels being independently rotatable about a common axis, and means for progressively actuating said digit wheels comprising a sequence of transfer wheels each independently mounted to rotate about an axis counter to that of said digit wheels, one transfer wheel being associated with each digit wheel, and each transfer wheel having gear teeth thereon adapted to co-operate with the gear teeth upon the digit wheel with which it is associated, and having one of the teeth laterally extended to engage the teeth of a digit wheel of next higher denomination, a ratchet wheel carried by the units digit wheel, a spring-pressed pawl cooperating with said ratchet wheel, an oscillatory member adapted to be engaged by a striker member, and operative connections between said oscillatory member and said pawl.

2. A numbering head embodying therein a sequence of digit wheels each having a plurality of gear teeth thereon, the top of each of said teeth being formed as a printing surface, said wheels being independently rotat able about a common axis, and means for progressively actuating said digit wheels comprising a sequence of transfer wheels each independently mounted to rotate about an axis counter to that of said digit wheels, one transfer wheei being associated "with each digit wheel, and each transfer wheel having gear teeth thereon adapted to co-op erate with the gear teeth upon the digit wheel with which it is associated, and having one of the teeth laterally extended to engage the teeth of a digit wheel of next higher denomination, a ratchet wheei carried by the units digit wheel, a swing frame rotatable about an axis coincident with that of said digit, a spring-pressed pawl carried thereby and co-operating with said. ratchet Wheel, an oscillatory member adapted to be engaged by a striker member, connections between said oscillatory member and said swing frame, and means for restoring said member, said frame and said pawl to normal after each actuation of the units digit wheel.

3. A numbering head embodying therein a sequence of digit wheels each having a plurality of gear teeth thereon, the top of each of said teeth being formed as a printing surface, said wheelsrbeing independently rotatable about a common axis, and means for progressively actuating said digit wheels comprising a sequence of transfer wheels each independently mounted to rotate about an axis counter to that of said digit wheels,

one transfer wheel being associated witheach digit wheel, and each transfer wheel having gear teeth thereon adapted to co-operate with the gear teeth upon the digit wheel with which it is associated, and having one of the teeth laterally extended to engage the teeth of a digit wheel of next, higher denomination, a ratchet Wheel carried by the units digit wheel, a forked swing frame movable about an axis coincident with that of said digit wheel, a spring-pressed pawl co-operating with said ratchet wheel and carried by said frame, an oscillatory member adapted to be engaged by a striker member, a stud carried by said oscillatory member and entering the fork of said swing frame, and means for restoring said member, said frame and said pawl to normal after each actuation of the units digit wheel.

4:. A numbering head embodying therein a sequence of digit wheels each having a plurality of gear teeth thereon, the top of each of said teeth being formed as a printing surface, said wheelsbeing independently rota-table about a common axis, and means for progressively actuating said digit wheels comprising a sequence of transfer wheels each independently mounted to rotate about an axis counter to that of said digit wheels, one transfer wheel being associated with each digit wheel, and each transfer wheel having gear teeth thereon adapted to cooperate with the gear teeth upon the digit wheel with which it is associated, and having one of the teeth laterally extended to engage the teeth of a digit wheel of next higher denomination, a ratchet wheelcarried by the units digit wheel, a forked swing frame movable about an axis coincident with that of said digit wheel, a springpressed pawl co-operating with said ratchet wheel and carried by said frame, an oscillatory member adapted to be engaged by a striker member, a stud carried by said oscillatory member and entering the fork of said swing frame, and a torsion spring operative upon said oscillatory member and adapted to restore said member, said swing frame and said pawl to normal after each actuation of the units digit wheel.

5. A numbering head embodying therein a sequence of digit wheels each having a plurality of gear'teeth' thereon, thei topl ft eachi of said teeth being formed as avprinting surface, and said wheels being rotatable about a common axis,a detent and alining wheel having a sequence of substantially triangular notches therein carried by each of said digit wheels, a spring-pressed detent and alining pawl associated with each of said detent and alining wheels andhaving a wedge-shaped tooth conforming to the notches inv said wheel, and means for progressively actuating said digit wheelscomprlslng a sequence of transfer wheels each independently mounted to rotate about an axis counter to that of said digit wheels,

one transfer wheel being associated with each digit wheel, and each transfer wheel having gear teeth thereon adapted, to cooperate with the gear teeth upon the digit wheel withwhich it is associated, and having one of its teeth laterally extended to engage the-teeth of the digit wheel of next higher denomination, and a main actuating mechanism operative upon the units digit wheel and upon the wheels of higher denomination and through said transfer wheel.

6. A numbering head embodying therein a sequence of digit wheels each having a plurality of gear teeth thereon, the top of each of said teeth being formed as a printone transfer Wheel being associated with each digit wheel, and each transfer wheel having gear teeth thereon adapted to cooperate with the gear teeth upon the digit wheel with which it is. associated, and having one of its teeth laterally extended to engage the teeth of the digit wheel of next higher denomination, a ratchet wheel carried by the units digit wheel, a springpressed pawl co-operating with said ratchet wheel, an oscillatory member adapted to be engaged by a striker member, and operative connections between said oscillatory member and said pawl. 1 I

7 A numbering head embodying therein a sequence of digit wheels each having a plurality of gear teeth thereon, the top of each of said teeth being formed as a. printing surface, and said wheels being rotatable about a common axis, a detent and alining wheel having a sequence of substantially triangular notches therein carried by each of said digit wheels, a spring-pressed de-tent and alimng pawl associated with each of said detent and alining wheels and having a wedge-shaped tooth conformingto the notches in said wheel, and means for progressively actuating said digit wheels comprising a sequence of transfer wheels each independently mounted to rotate about an axis counter to that of said digit wheels, one transfer wheel being associated with each digit wheel, and each transfer wheel having gear teeth thereon adapted to cooperate with the gear teeth upon the digit wheel with which it is associated, and having one of its teeth laterally extended to engage the teeth of the digit wheel of next higher denomination, a ratchet wheel carried by the units digit wheel, a forked swing frame movable about an axis coincident with that of said digit wheel, a springpressed pawl co-operating with said ratchet wheel and carried by said frame, an oscillatory member adapted to be engaged by a striker member, a stud carried by said oscillatory member and'entering the fork of said swing frame, and a torsion spring operative upon said oscillatory member and adapted to restore said member, said swing frame and said pawl to normal after each actuation of the units digit wheel.

in witness whereof .i have hereunto affixed my signature, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this Mth day of June,

AMOS H. SMITH. lVitnesses FRIEDA KOEHLER, Sorrnn M. BAEDER, 

